What Farooq Kperogi Said About Buhari

By: Deji Yesufu

On January 24th, 2019, Prof. Farooq Kperogi wrote the following update on his Facebook wall:

“I am closer to the power brokers in this Buhari regime than I can persuade many people to believe... In the wake of the gale of defections that hit APC around August last year, Buhari was overwrought with intense grief. Days later, as the relentless certainty of his electoral defeat stared him in the face, he called members of his inner circle and swore, in a fit of anger and frustration, that he would never hand over power to PDP's Atiku even if Atiku wins fair and square. He said he would rather invite the military to take over than hand over to Atiku. I've confirmed this information with several trusted sources in the Villa. It's precisely because of this that the buzzwigs of the regime have gone into overdrive in perfecting strategies to rig the election. They're no longer even making any pretences about it, and are compelling all government agencies to contribute financially to Buhari's reelection campaign. For them, the options are just two: military take-over or rigging. They've chosen rigging.”

On the same day this alarming revelation was made, the Muhammadu Buhari government suspended the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, and installed Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed in his place in acting capacity. Since this action of Mr. President, the whole country has been plunged into a national debate. Very few people however noticed what Farooq Kperogi said.

Farooq Kperogi is a Nigerian of Northern extraction. He teaches English in an American University but he has an undying love for Nigeria, like most Nigerians in the diaspora. Prior to the 2015 elections, Prof. Kperogi was a die-hard Buhari supporter. Sometimes into this administration, the Prof. turned against Buhari. He has since become one of the most caustic critic of the Buhari government. Sometimes in December 2018, the Prof. informed his readers that the Buhari government allegedly convinced the publishers of the Daily Trust Newspapers, a leading newspaper in Northern Nigeria, not to publish his articles anymore. And since government is about the highest advertiser in that paper, they had no choice but to cut him off. Kperogi now writes for the Nigerian Tribune.

In the light of recent developments in the country, can it be sufficiently proven that the Buhari government wishes to rig the coming elections? And if rigging is not sufficient to retain power for Buhari, is it true that this government is thinking of handing over power to the military? Before we examine the possibilities behind these statements, it is important that we remember that former President Olusegun Obasanjo had also raised alarm around the forthcoming elections. Obasanjo had made it clear that we are in Abacha days again. He claims that machineries have been put in place in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to rig the election in Buhari’s favor. Obasanjo has also insinuated that Buhari is quite reluctant to hand over power if he looses. Now we have the Farooq Kperogi allegations.

It is my sincere hope that these allegations remain what they are – mere allegations. I also do hope that Kperogi and Obasanjo are just playing to the gallery and that there are no elements of truth in what they are saying. Let us give the Buhari government the benefit of doubt that her critics and haters have allowed rage to make them take leave of their common sense and that they have simply not rightly represented the Nigerian President. In short, I hope all of these is a joke.

But the fact remains that it just may not be a joke and to be forewarned is to be fore-armed.

The Buhari government might need to be reminded that Nigeria has now run a twenty year democratic institution without incursion by the military. They would need to be reminded that the idea of the military restoring order to society is a farce, as the history of this country has shown that the Nigerian military is more inept at ruling the country than their civilian counterpart. This government would need to be reminded of the various gains this country has made in its democratic experimentation: how we now have two formidable democratic parties that are giving each other competition; how in 2015 the people of this country routed an incumbent and installed this very Buhari; and how for no reason at all this democracy cannot be endangered by anyone.

Lawyer Femi Falana, in an interview, has rightly stated that Justice Onnoghen was wrong in not declaring his assets fully and that he could not also preside over his own case. The CJN should simply have stepped aside before this whole brouhaha started. In the same vein, said the respected Lawyer, the Buhari government failed to follow due process in suspending the Justice. A nation is built on and held together by a system of laws that ensure peace and order within its body polity. A nation would therefore be putting law and order at risk when its number one law officer is removed from office without due process. Buhari is wrong and Onongen is wrong – and as they say, two wrongs cannot make a right.

In less than three weeks, Nigerians would be heading to the poles to elect for themselves a new commander-in-chief. The Buhari government would do well not to heat up the polity with its actions and policies; all of which might render their own effort to return to office void but which also could plunge the country into full scale chaos.

I would be giving this admin the benefit of the doubt. I would be hoping that Buhari never said that he would hand over this country to the military. I would be hoping that Farooq Kperogi has only allowed rage to becloud his hitherto sound judgement. But I would be foolish not to note a potentially weighty information in the light of latest happenings in the country.

Although Nigeria’s democracy is fledgling, yet it is growing. Everything we are encountering as a people are the usual toothing problems that come with nation building. Even the more advanced democracies have their own issues. But no one ever suggests military take-over while the people of such country assume that nothing of significance has been said. If Muhammadu Buhari has ever suggested a return to military rule, he and everyone in his administration should be made to understand that Nigerians would resist them with everything that we have got.

Deji Yesufu is the author of the book Victor Banjo. He can be reached on newdejix@gmail.com

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This is the kind of useless gist you hear in pepper soup joints

Lalasticlala pls inform others about this post

only restructuring can save this country
The current system only favours the politicians to the detriment of the masses
Atiku means restructuring... It's a start
We can't continue like this
Buhari cannot do anything... The foundation is faultyATIKU ABUBAKAR is a successful businessman and a philanthropist, and has created over 50,000 direct jobs and 250,000 indirect ones; thereby making him the largest private employer of labour in Adamawa state only second to the state government. Some of his businesses include; co-founder of Intels, an oil servicing business with extensive operations in Nigeria and abroad.
- He is also the founder of Adama Beverages Limited, and the American University of Nigeria (AUN) (the only American style university in Sub-Saharan Africa), both in Yola, Adamawa. if he manages his businesses well, with such labour force, he will do same for Nigeria.BUHARI kept attacking the media but can't do without having numerous media aides and media house to launch his propaganda... Always angry that the media is exposing his failures as govtATIKU ABUBAKAR IS SUCCESSFUL in these areas;

1.Business
2. Education
3. Security
4. Jobs/Employment
5. Electricity
and many more.


SAI AtikuObi mandate


sai daddy AA